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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hi, it feels like general tune has changed on ECN. Based on previous questions regarding ECN, it was highly ranked by 5i and most recently as a top 3 small cap growth stock recommendation based on potential and valuation, and management per question raised on Mar 21st. After the latest earnings reporting on Mar 23rd, it has fallen 25% since. Are potential, management and valuation (25% cheaper than Mar 21st) no longer a recommendation to buy, but rather to only hold? Would like to understand the thought process behind this if this and if this is a short term momentum recommendation, rather than a long-term recommendation. As well, were general headwinds not expected on recession and higher interest rates? I understand that magnitude was more than expected but likely temporary? Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Eric on March 28, 2023
Q: I understand that, on its ex-dividend date, a dividend-paying stock will likely decline in proportion to the value of the payout. Knowing that, can one do anything to avoid getting caught in a rush-to-the-exits? For example, while WFC declined by $3 (that is, by the payout value) on the ex-dividend date, it continued to decline (by an additional $2.50) over the following two days (it has since recovered.)

In this connection: where the exchange supports trading outside of regular trading hours, does the 'ex-dividend date' still align with the regular open?
Read Answer Asked by John on March 28, 2023
Q: The BPO pref shares, in my view, are trading at levels that indicate serious concern over credit risk.
A question put to you on Jan 30, 2023 was with respect to who held the liability for the BPO pre shares (the questioner was asking about BPO.PR.G specifically). You replied:
“While BPO is a separate legal entity, its preferred shares are under the obligation of BN.”
However, a similar question was posed Mar 20, 2023 with respect to BPO.PR.P and you seemed to reply that the obligation on those BPO pref shares was with something called Brookfield Property Preferred LP.
Forgive me if I have mischaracterized your answers, this is a bit confusing to me. It seems to be a very big difference though.
I am assuming that the Preferred LP is some sort of subsidiary?
If so, that would make the BPO prefs MUCH more risky, in my opinion.
I note that the Financial Post reported in Feb 2023 that yet another Brookfield subsidiary (Brookfield DTLA] has defaulted on loans on two major office towers in downtown Los Angeles. The loan amounts are staggering, by the way.
Can you please clarify all this?
Read Answer Asked by john on March 28, 2023
Q: Hi

BMOInvestorline offers a HISA currently paying 4.35% interest accrued daily and paid monthly. It is not locked in and I can withdraw at anytime without penalty. I haven't found a better rate anywhere. Even EQ Bank only pays 2.5% in its savings account.

I haven't been able to find a "catch" but this seems too good to be true. Am I missing something? Or is this a really prudent way to keep the cash component of my portfolio, assuming I'm going to keep some cash.

Thanks
Robert
Read Answer Asked by Robert on March 28, 2023
Q: Hi Peter,
A lot of high yield ETFs distribution contains a return of capital, which means you get back a portion of your own invested money. It seems to me this is a marketing ploy used by the ETFs to entice investors with a return that is no ‘real’. Which is better for an investor whose primary goal is to increase her wealth and not aiming for a certain amount of monthly/annual income distribution - a plain ETF that has a yield of 4% or a high yield ETF that has a yield of 6% which includes a return of capital of 2.5%? For investors, are there any drawbacks or concerns for ‘return of capital’ feature apart from the necessary book keeping of adjusted cost? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Willie on March 27, 2023
Q: 1. Do bear market bottoms typically occur before or after the Fed starts to cut rates? (I see conflicting answers when I google articles on this with some saying "always before" and others saying "always after".)

2. I read that markets bounce hard (like ++20%) in the 6 months after a bear market bottom but we have a less than 10% market return and the 6 mos is almost up, therefore conclude the real bottom is still to come. Thoughts?

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by William on March 27, 2023
Q: Could you please rank from top to bottom your six highest conviction US mid cap stocks for a 5year plus hold.
Read Answer Asked by Greg on March 27, 2023